§7234. Advisory committees

The Secretary is authorized to establish in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act such advisory committees as he may deem appropriate to assist in the performance of his functions. Members of such advisory committees, other than full-time employees of the Federal Government, while attending meetings of such committees or while otherwise serving at the request of the Secretary while serving away from their homes or regular places of business, may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for individuals in the Government serving without pay.

(Pub. L. 95–91, title VI, §624, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 598; Pub. L. 105–28, §2(b)(1), July 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 245.)

References in Text

The Federal Advisory Committee Act, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 92–463, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 770, as amended, which is set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Amendments

1997—Pub. L. 105–28 struck out subsec. (a) designation and struck out subsec. (b) which read as follows: "Section 776 of title 15 shall be applicable to advisory committees chartered by the Secretary, or transferred to the Secretary or the Department under this chapter, except that where an advisory committee advises the Secretary on matters pertaining to research and development, the Secretary may determine that such meeting shall be closed because it involves research and development matters and comes within the exemption of section 552b(c)(4) of title 5."

Termination of Advisory Committees

Advisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided for by law. See section 14 of Pub. L. 92–463, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 776, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Department of Energy Project Review Groups not Subject to Federal Advisory Committee Act by Reason of Inclusion of Employees of Department of Energy Management and Operating Contractors

Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, §3112, Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1743, provided that: "An officer or employee of a management and operating contractor of the Department of Energy, when serving as a member of a group reviewing or advising on matters related to any one or more management and operating contracts of the Department, shall be treated as an officer or employee of the Department for purposes of determining whether the group is an advisory committee within the meaning of section 3 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)."